In cricket, a dismissal occurs when the batsman is out i.e. when the fielding side claims a wicket. At this point, the batsman must discontinue batting and leave the field in a manner ranging from ignominy to heroic. A batsman can be dismissed in 10 different ways. The most common dismissals being: bowled, caught, leg before wicket (LBW), stumped and run out, while hit wicket, hit ball twice, handled ball, obstructing the field and timed out are among the more rare innings enders.
In the second ODI at Lord’s at Saturday, England’s Ben Stokes was dismissed “obstructing the field” against Australia. In doing so, he became only the sixth batsman in ODI history to be dismissed in this fashion.
Here is what Glenn Maxwell had to say on the Ben Stokes dismissal yesterday. #SSNHQ pic.twitter.com/aSrOD4aP8p
— Sky Sports News HQ (@SkySportsNewsHQ) September 6, 2015
What is obstructing the field?
The MCC’s Laws of Cricket #37 states…
“Either batsman is out Obstructing the field if he wilfully attempts to obstruct or distract the fielding side by word or action. Also since 2011, under the new regulations, if an umpire feels that a batsman, in running between the wickets, has significantly changed his direction without probable cause and thereby obstructed a fielder’s attempt to effect a run out, the batsman should, on appeal, be given out, obstructing the field. It shall not be relevant whether a run out would have occurred or not.”
Stokes’ most recent example follows some rather high profile previous instances. Here, Sport360.com’s resident sporting statistician Mohandas Menon revisits ODI cricket’s history of obstruction.
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1. Rameez Raja (99) for Pakistan vs England at Karachi on November 20, 1987 (lost by 23 runs)
Pakistani opener Rameez Raja became the first batsman in ODI cricket to be dismissed obstructing the field, when he hit the ball with his bat to avoid being run out. When the last ball of the match was bowled Rameez – then on 98 – set off for the two runs required for his century. While completing the second he deliberately stopped the ball with his bat, preventing England wicket-keeper Bruce French from breaking the wickets with Rameez short of his ground.
Mohinder Amarnath is the only ODI batsman to be dismissed both “handled the ball” in 1986 and “obstructing the field” in 1989 #EngvAus
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) September 5, 2015
2. Mohinder Amarnath (28) for India v Sri Lanka at Ahmedabad on October 22, 1989 (won by 6 runs)
Amarnath was given his matching orders after kicking the ball away from the bowler to prevent being run out. Amarnath, batting at four, had made 28 in 39 balls before being given out.
3. Inzamam-ul-Haq (16) for Pakistan v India at Peshawar on February 6, 2006 (won by 7 runs D/L method)
Pakistan skipper Inzamam was on 16 when he drove S Sreesanth to Suresh Raina at mid-off, all under largely routine circumstances. Raina returned the ball to the striker’s end, where Inzamam blocked the ball with his bat. Umpire Simon Taufel declared him out as he was in line with the stumps and out of his crease.
Mohammad Hafeez (0) for Pakistan v South Africa at Durban on March 21, 2013 (won by 3 wkts)
Opening the innings, Mohammad Hafeez became the fourth man and third Pakistani to succumb to the appeal of obstructing the field of play. He was the first to do so under new regulations introduced by the ICC in 2011 that would dismiss the batsman or the non-striker altered the course of their run to deliberately put their body in between ball and wickets. TV umpire Billy Bowden gave Hafeez out after attempting to protect the stumps from a throw by keeper AB de Villiers. Hafeez became the only batsman to be dismissed obstructing the field for a duck and is the solitary non-striker to be dismissed in this manner.
ICC clarification: On review, Dale Steyn has now been given out for obstructing Mohammad Hafeez’s career.
— Pavilion Opinions (@pavilionopinion) November 28, 2013
5. Anwar Ali (7) for Pakistan v South Africa at Port Elizabeth on November 27,2013 (won by 1 run)
Anwar Ali is possibly the most unfortunate on this list. Batting at number 9, Ali was trying to steal a bye off the bowling of Dale Steyn when keeper Quinton de Kock’s throw at the non-striker’s end hit him on the shoulder. He was given out with the umpire believing he had purposefully changed direction while running towards the non-striker’s end.
6. Ben Stokes (10) for England v Australia at Lord’s September 2015 (lost by 64 runs)
England’s Ben Stokes became the first non-Asian to be dismissed obstructing the field when he drove a delivery back to bowler Mitchell Starc, who realised the batsman had taken a couple of steps down the pitch and threw at the stumps. However, in the process Stokes also fended the throw with his left hand and third umpire Joel Wilson adjudicated that Stokes should be given out.
